Airplane washer



July 3, 1951 F. E. GROSSENBACHER AIRPLANE WASHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 3, 1947 I INVENTOR. 560k 5 firossewbacfier ATTCI RN EYB July 3, 1951 F. E. GROSSENBACHER 2,

AIRPLANE WASHER Filed April 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -AIRPLANE WASHER Frank E. Grossenbacher, North Hollywood, Calif. Application April 3, 1947, Serial No. 739,107

Claims. 1

My present invention relates to an improved aircraft cleaner and polisher of the type designed for use in cleaning and polishin the exterior skin of'large planes. At the present time, it being imperative from an efiiciency viewpoint that the planes outer surfaces be kept clean and polished, several men are required to clean and polish the craft and this job is long and tedious and with the modern mammoth planes, scaffoldingmust be arranged to provide access to the upper surfaces well above the ground creating a safety? hazard, and causing accidents.

The cleaner or polisher of my invention may be extended to apply the mop head to any portion ofthe plane and mounted on a vehicle may be driven around the plane so that one man on theveliicle may control the operation. Specific embodiments and their advantage will be set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode- I'have thus far devised, but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be'made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. '1 is a side elevational view of the device of my invention without the swivel or universal joint shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive and in detail in Fig. 10.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view at line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the motor and pressure head.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the swivel or universal joint for the rotary mop head.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view at line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the universal joint.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view showing the head, universal joint and shaft.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the motor and head.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view at line Ill-H) of Fig. '7. v

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are schematic views showing the device in operative position on parts of the airplane.

Referring now to the drawings I provide in the present embodiment of my invention a supporting plate 2 having depending flanges 4 on beam extensions 6 of a conventional automotive vehicle 8 having wheels l0.

Secured to mounts l2 on the plate 2 are three arms l4 converging upwardly to a link l6 and above and pivotally secured to this link I employ a large hydraulic cylinder [8, the head 20 of which is attached by car 22 to the link. The cylinder head 24 at the upper end is formed with spaced flanged openings 25 for the dual piston rods 26 secured by nuts 21 to the piston head 28.

At the upper extremities of the piston rods I provide a connector 30 secured by nuts 32 to receive the arm 34 secured by nuts 36 and flattened at 38 upwardly to engage the flat arcuate surface 40 of the bracket 42. Pin 44 permits pivotal movement of the bracket and adjustment is secured by set screw 46 engageable in one of the series of holes 48.

To this bracket I attach the casing 50 of the hydraulic motor and pressure head (Fig. '4). The casing 56 has interior thereof a cylinder 52 for the rotor 54, the shaft portion 56 of the rotor being bored to receive the tubular sliding drive shaft 58 formed with a groove 60 to receive the key bolt 62. The sliding movement of the shaft 58 being controlled by the key bolt 62 engaging the end wall of the groove 60 (Fig. 9). The shaft is journaled in a wall 64 seated against the shoulder 66 and a movable head 68 which has secured thereto a tubular shaft 10 concentric with the shaft 58.

Outwardly the shaft 58 is journaled at 12 and universal coupling members 14 and is pivotally secured by pin 18 provide rotary motion for the head carrying mop 82.

The mop head 80 is encircled by hearing 84 for the swivel head 86 and the flanged walls 88 are formed with arcuate faces9ll. The faces 90 are machined to have freely sliding contact with the arcuate faces 92 of the supporting elements 94 on the outer shaft 10. Bolts 96 on the swivel head pass through slots 98 in the supporting elements 94 and springs I00 are connected between the bolts and the ears I02 on the shaft lll as the mop head follows the contour of the aircraft the head 86 will by means of coupling numbers T4 and 15 swivel with relation to the element .94 the bolt 96 will limit such movement through the movement of the slot 98. The springs I90 will always return the head 86 to a position at right angles to the shaft 58 by biasing the bolt 96. When the surface with which the mop head is engaged changes its contour there will be a sliding action between the faces 90 and 92, if for instance the upper edge of the mop head is inclined rearwardly the upper bolt 96 will engage the rear edge of the upper slot 98 and the lower bolt 96 will engage the forward edge of the lower slot 3 98 and vice-versa. if the lower edge of the mop head is inclined rearwardly.

With the inner shaft 58 connected to the rotor 54 by means of the bolt 62 engaging the groove 60 in the shaft 58 the inner shaft 58 will therefore rotate within the outer shaft 10 and as the work surface changes or is angular of the longitudinal axis of the shafts the universal joint will permit swiveling of the mop and its head against the tension of the springs. .Expansion of the head 68 under pressure will extrude the shaft 10 outwardly. With the journal bearing 12 engaging the shoulder 100 at the forward end of the shaft 10 and having a tight fit with the shaft 58 the journal bearing 12 will act in the manner of a rotary connector between the shaft 58 and 10 to force the shaft 58 outwardly as the shaft 10 is extended by the head 68. This arrangement permits a predetermined scrubbing pressure to be maintained, at say 10 pounds.

A hydraulic jack or strut 104 secured at N16 to the plate 2 has a piston rod I08 engaging an ear -I ID on the cylinder 18 and movement of the piston rod by pressure will incline the cylinder 48 as desired.

The hydraulic cylinder I8 is connected to a conventional hydraulic system not shown by means of pipes G and'H respectively, while the casing 50 of the hydraulic motor and pressure head is connected to the same system by pipes O and P. The hydraulic jack I04 being likewise connected to the same system by means of pipes K and A valve controls the pressure in pipe to the motor and rotor 54 while the pressure regulators 142 and I44 maintain the desired pressure on the mop head by extruding or permitting retraction of the mop head and its shafts. A ball check valve I46 in pipe P relieves the pressure when a predetermined point is reached.

Thus by the proper manipulation of the pressure the mop head and easing may be elevated or lowered as desired and the inclination of the cylinder 18 varied to scrub the surfaces as seen in Figs. 11, 12 and 13.

The pivotal movement of the casing and mop headfjmay be accomplished manually and the cleaner may with facility be operated by one man toclean the complete plane surface saving time and labor and performing the work more efficiently.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In an airplane cleaner, the combination of an extensible support, means pivoting the same in a vertical plane on a mobile conveyance, a cleaning head, a casing pivotally mounted on the support, a hydraulic motor means in the casing for turnin the head, a movable wall within the casing and means connecting the movable wall with the head so that When fluid under pressure is placed against said wall said head will be maintained against an object to be cleaned.

2. In an airplane cleaner, the combination of an extensible support, means pivoting the same in a vertical plane on a mobile conveyance, a cleaning head, a casing pivotally mounted on the support, a hydraulic motor means in the casing, means universally connected with the motor means and with the head, a movable wall within the casing and means connecting the movable wall with the head so that when fluid under pressure is placed against said wall said head will be maintained against an object to be cleaned.

3. In an airplane cleaner, the combination of an extensible support, means pivoting the same in a vertical plane on a mobile conveyance, a cleaning head, a casing pivotally mounted on the support, a hydraulic motor in the casing, a shaft slidably connected with the motor, means universally connecting the shaft with the head, a fixed wall in the casing, a movable wall within the same, means connecting said movable wall with the head and means whereby fluid under pressure is placed between said walls for maintaining the head with a predetermined pressure against an object to be cleaned.

4. In an airplane cleaner, the combination of an extensible support, means pivoting the same in a vertical plane on a mobile conveyance, 'a cleaning head, a casing pivotally mounted on the support, a hydraulic motor means in the casing for turnin the head, and fluid pressure means in the casing for maintaining the head with a predetermined pressure against an object to be cleaned.

5. In a cleaning device the combination of a mobile conveyance, a hydraulic cylinder, means tiltably mounting the same upon said mobile conveyance, hydraulic means connected to said hydraulic cylinder and said mobile conveyance for tilting said hydraulic cylinder, piston means slidably mounted in saidhydraulio cylinder, a casing means swingably mounted on said piston means, a movable head slidably mounted in said casing means, a hollow tubular shaft secured to said movable head and slidably extending through said casing means, a drive shaft concen-.

FRANK E. GROSSENTBACHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,286,076 Olsiewsky Nov. 26, 1918 1,419,356 Brown June 13, 1922 1,487,745 Krafft Mar. 25, 1924 1,578,013 Case Mar. 23, 1926 1,679,323 Mortlock July 31, 1928 

